Photocomposing apparatus



Sept. 17, 1968 CROSS PHOTOCOMPOSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1966 n W O 3 o uQi A z 2 M FIG.|

FIG.2

FIGS

INVENTOR. RlCHARD D. CROSS I y QM 41/28 ATTORNEYS P 17, 1968 R. D. CROSS 3,401,616

PHOTOCOMPOS I NG APPARAT US Filed Jan. 24, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [58 l I I l 22A D u IZ/I 1 J- 26 /4O 34 7s 74 70 no 76 FIG.5

FIG.6 I FIG.7

v INVENTOR. RICHARD 0. CROSS By W) W WW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,401,616 PHOTOCOMPOSING APPARATUS Richard D. Cross, 21235 Benjamin,

St. Clair Shores, Mich. 48081 Filed Jan. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,632 7 Claims. (Cl. 95-75) This invention relates to an improved photocomposing apparatus and particularly to a machine having a simple and reliable drive for moving a negative and a photosensitive film past a light source so as to expose the film to a distorted image of the negative.

By use of the invention it is possible to elongate or compress the negative image or to fiex the image regardless of whether it is being elongated or compressed. The invention may also be used to flex the image without elongating or compressing.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved photocomposing machine.

Another object is to provide a photocomposing machine having an improved drive for moving a negative and a photosensitive film relative to a fixed light source so as to expose the film to a distorted image of the negative.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a photocomposing apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with the work table removed;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 2; v

FIGURE 6 is a view of part of a negative showing a design carried thereby; and

FIGURE 7 shows part of a photosensitive film with a distorted image of the design shown in FIGURE 6.

As illustrated in the drawings, the photocornposing apparatus includes a work table 10 having two parallel drive rails 12 secured to the bottom of the table adjacent the lateral edges thereof. The drive rails 12 extend outwardly past each end of the table 10. A light source 14 is fixedly positioned immediately above the table 10 and includes light bulbs 16 mounted in a metal shroud 18. The shroud is preferably hinged to a support structure at 19 so that it may be rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 1 away from the table 10. The lower face of the shroud 18 is normally positioned immediately adjacent the surface of the table 10 and is provided with a long narrow slit 20 which extends across the work surface of the table.

A pair of table support pulleys or wheels 22 are mounted on each of the two shafts 24. The shafts are journaled in bearings 26 carried by the support or frame 28. Pulleys 22 engage the table drive rails 12 and serve to support the table 10. Each shaft '24 is provided with a drive motor 30 and a one-way clutch 32 so that the shaft may be rotated in one direction by the motor and is freely rotatable in the other direction. Each motor 30 rotates its respective shaft 24 in a different direction so that by energizing the appropriate motor to rotate pulleys 22 as desired, the table 10 may be translated either to the left or to the right in a direction parallel to the the table the work area is swept past the light source 14 3,401,616 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 ice and exposed to a uniform thin line of light passing through the slit 20.

Each shaft 24 carries a group of drive pulleys or wheels 34, 36 and 38. Pulleys 34 have a greater diameter than pulleys 22, pulleys 36 have the same diameter as the pulleys 22, and pulleys 38 have a smaller diameter than the pulleys 22. A drive rod 40 located parallel to the table drive rails 12 is placed so as to engage the like pulleys 34, 36 or 38 carried by each shaft 24. Like drive rails 12, the drive rod 40 extends past each end of the work table 10.

A swing arm 42 is pivotally connected to one end of one drive rail 12 and extends through a gate on the adjacent end of the drive rod 40. The gate may be formed by two upwardly extending pins 44 which are spaced far enough apart along the rod 40 so as to prevent binding of the swing arm 42 in the gate. One end of connecting arm 46 is pivotally connected to swing arm 42 and the other end of the connecting arm 46 is pivotally connected to a slide bar 48. The bar 48 is slidably confined between arms 50 of slide holder 52 which is slidably mounted on the top of table 10 between pins 54 and guide 56 as shown in FIGURE 2. The arms 50 confine the bar 48 so that it is movable relative thereto in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the table. Pins 54 and guide 56 confine the holder 52 so that it is movable along the surface of the table only in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the table.

A support rail 58 is mounted on frame 28 adjacent one side of the table 10. One end of cam bar 60 is pivoted to the rail 58 and the other end of the bar 60 is connected to the rail through an adjustment arm 62 which enables the slope of the cam bar 60 to be varied as desired. Cam end 64 of holder 52 slidably abuts the cam surface of bar 60 and rides therealong as the table is moved relative thereto.

In operation of the apparatus a photosensitive film 70 is attached to the slide 48 by a tape 72 or other suitable means so that the film 70 moves with the slide across the top of the table 10. Negative 74 is placed over film 70 and is secured directly to the top of table 10 by tape 76 or other suitable means. The negative 74 carries a design 78 as shown in FIGURE 6 located immediately over the film 70.

When one of the motors 30 is energized and rotates pulleys 22 so as to drive the table 10 to the left of the FIGURE 2 position, drive rod 40 is likewise moved in the same direction. When the drive rod 40 is positioned in pulleys 34 having a greater diameter than pulley 22, the rod 40 is moved faster than the table. When the rod is positioned in pulleys 38 having a diameter less than that of pulleys 22 it is moved slower than the table. Pulleys 36 are the same diameter as the pulleys 22 so that when the rod is positioned in pulleys 36 it moves at the same rate of speed as the table.

When the rod 40 is moved more rapidly to the left than the table 10, the gate rotates the swing arm 42 in a counterclockwise direction so that the connecting arm 46 drives the slide 48 and film 70 to the left over the top of the table. Likewise when the table is moved to the left more rapidly than the drive rod 40, the swing arm is rot-- tated in a clockwise direction and the film moves to the right along the top of the table. Movement of the table and drive rod at the same rate of speed holds the swing arm against rotation so that the film 70 is held against movement relative to the table.

Movement of the table 10 as described carries the cam end 64 of the slide holder 52 along the fixed cam bar 60 so as to move the film 70 across the top of the table 10 in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the table. The arm 62 is adjustably secured to the support rail 58 so that the slope of the cam bar 60' may be varied as desired. When the cam bar 60 is positioned parallel to the drive rail 12 the transverse component of motion of the film 70 is eliminated. The component of motion of the film relative to the negative may also be varied as desired by means of the adjustable connection between swing arm 42 and drive rod 46 and by proper use of the drive pulleys 34, 36 and 38.

With the cam bar 60 oriented parallel to the drive rail 12 so as to eliminate transverse movement of the film and with the drive rod 40 driven by pulleys 34, the film 70 is moved past the light source slit 20 more rapidly than the design carried by the negative. The result is that the film is exposed to an elongated image of the negative design having the same height as the original. When the drive rod is driven by pulleys 38, the negative 74 is swept past the light source slit 20 more rapidly than the film and the result is a compressed image of the negative.

When the drive rod 40 is driven by pulleys 36 and the cam bar 60 is oriented as shown in FIGURE 2, the film is exposed to a flexed image of the negative design since it is moved transversely to the negative 74. By selective use of the drive wheels 34, 36 and 38 and by proper adjustment of the drive rod 40, swing arm 42 and cam bar 60, it is possible to expose the film 70 to any of a large number of distorted images of the negative design. The image 80 illustrated in FIGURE 7 is illustrative of one of such distortions.

Means may be provided to bias the slide guide 52 so that the cam end 64 thereof is held against the cam bar 60. In this case the photocomposing apparatus may be used when being driven to either the right or the left. Although FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate a word design 78 and a distortion 80 thereof achieved by use of the invention, it is obvious that the invention may be utilized to achieve a distorted version of any type of design and is not limited with regard to type of design carried by the negative.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Photocomposing apparatus for distorting a design comprising a work table for holding a design negative, said table being linearly movable, mounting means on said table independently movable relative to said table in a direction parallel to movement of said table and adapted to hold a photosensitive film in contact with the negative, a drive rod extending parallel to the direction of table movement, a swing arm pivoted on said table and engageable with said drive rod, a connecting arm with one end thereof pivoted to said swing arm and the other end thereof pivoted to said mounting means, and drive means for moving said rod and table in the same direction at different speeds whereby the film and negative are moved at different speeds so that the film may be exposed to a distorted image of the negative design.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a holder on said table and movable thereon in a direction perpendicular to movement of said table, said mounting means being movable with said holder, and second drive means for moving said holder in said perpendicular direction.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said second drive means includes a fixed cam surface disposed non-parallel to the direction of movement of said table and said holder includes a cam follower engageable with said cam surface.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first-mentioned drive means comprises a table drive wheel engageable with said table, a rod drive wheel engageable with said rod, and a drive motor operatively connected to both said wheels so as to rotate said wheels at the same speed, said wheels having diiferent diameters.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said table includes a drive rail disposed parallel to said drive rod, and said first-mentioned drive means comprises a table drive wheel engageable with said rail and a rod drive wheel engageable with said rod, said drive wheels having different diameters, and a drive motor for rotating said drive wheels at the same speed.

6. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said table includes spaced parallel drive rails and wherein said first-mentioned drive means comprises a pair of table drive wheels engageable with said rails, three rod drive wheels having diameters respectively greater than, equal to, and less than the diameter of said table drive wheels, and a drive motor operatively connected to all of said wheels so as to rotate said wheels at the same speed, said rod being engageable with any one of said rod drive wheels.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said rod drive wheels are positioned between said drive rails.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. PHOTOCOMPOSING APPARATUS FOR DISTORTING A DESIGN COMPRISING A WORK TABLE FOR HOLDING A DESIGN NEGATIVE, SAID TABLE BEING LINEARLY MOVABLE, MOUNTING MEANS ON SAID TABLE INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID TABLE IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO MOVEMENT OF SAID TABLE AND ADAPTED TO HOLD A PHOTOSENSITIVE FILM IN CONTACT WITH THE NEGATIVE, A DRIVE ROD EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF TABLE MOVEMENT, A SWING ARM PIVOTED ON SAID TABLE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID DRIVE ROD, A CONNECTING ARM WITH ONE END THEREOF PIVOTED TO SAID SWING ARM AND THE OTHER END THEREOF PIVOTED TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS, THE DRIVE MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ROD AND TABLE IN THE SAME DIRECTION AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS WHEREBY THE FILM AND NEGATIVE ARE MOVED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS SO THAT THE FILM MAY BE EXPOSED TO A DISTORTED IMAGE OF THE NEGATIVE DESIGN. 